Chili Sin Carne

Chili! Need I say more? Nope, here’s the recipe … no, wait, not so fast. What makes this recipe better than the kajillion other vegetarian chili recipes out there? Two things: sweet potatoes (yum, sweet potatoes) and home-made vegan sour cream. You heard me homemade vegan sour cream. A few months ago I tried Tofutti’s “Better Than Sour Cream” and it tasted more like tofu than sour cream, not to mention it has a lot of ingredients I can’t pronounce. It’s easy and cheap to make your own and it makes a world of difference to your chili.

So now on to the chili sin carne. This chili, like most veggie chilies out there, fall into the quick and easy category. Great for a weeknight dinner and a catch-all to use up whatever leftover veggies you’ve got kicking around in your fridge. For me it’s important to have at least two different types of beans for flavour and textural contrast. Then throw in whatever veggies you like, canned tomatoes with their juices, and spice it up. Easy, right? A big dollop of vegan sour cream on top for acidity, avocado for creaminess and tortilla chips for crunch and you’ve got it all.

Chili Sin Carne

Serves 4

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For the chili

2 tablespoons oil

Half a large onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 450 grams / 16 oz), peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons smoky paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large can (780 grams / 27.5 oz) whole tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 can (425 grams / 15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (425 grams / 15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Avocado, for garnish (optional)

Cilantro, chives, green onion or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)

For the vegan sour cream

1 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons salt

For the chili

Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Add the sweet potatoes, red peppers and green peppers and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes begin to soften – about 5 to 10 minutes. Mix through the spices and cook until fragrant – about a minute. Pour in the whole tomatoes with their juices and use your spoon to crush them into smaller pieces. Pour in the vegetable stock and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and allow to cook until the sweet potatoes are soft and the chili is thickened to your liking.

For the vegan sour cream

While the chili is cooking, add all the ingredients for the sour cream into a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth cream. Set aside for the flavours to develop.

To serve

Serve chili in a bowl with a dollop of vegan sour cream on top and your choice of garnishes: avocado, cilantro, parsley, green onion or chives, and/or tortilla chips.